Protecting rivers, securing future

Prof Venkatesh DuttaThe theme of World Rivers Day-2026 is ‘No Forests, No Rivers, No Water, No Life’ emphasizing how forest cover, hydrologic systems, water security and life on the planet are intrinsically connected.Uttar Pradesh covers about 7.3% of the geographical area of the country having three distinct regions namely, the Shiwalik region in the north, Gangetic plains in the middle and Vindhyan hills in the south.The drainage system of Uttar Pradesh is dynamic and continually evolving; there are eight major rivers passing through the region with their numerous tributaries.These rivers constantly shape the landscape and provide habitats to thousands of plants, birds, reptiles and mammals thriving in a monsoonal climate. They also act as key ecological corridors connecting mountains and plains while supporting riverine forests.The tributaries and smaller rivers may appear small and inconspicuous, but they are vital ecological arteries that contribute to the flow of the Ganga. The region’s rich biodiversity is shaped spatially and ecologically by these rivers and their seasonal cycles of flooding.Our study shows that there are more than one thousand smaller rivers in the state with their cumulative length spanning about 1,47,000 kilometres. These rivers are like water sanctuaries – providing freshwater and distributing nutrients and sediments across the floodplain.Many of these rivers have now become seasonal due to anthropogenic effects, such as intensive water abstractions, deforestation, and large-scale urban and infrastructure development.Due to increase in population and rapid urban sprawl, settlements, roads and paved constructions have come up on both sides of the river which is continuous and increasing rapidly. Our survival will depend upon the sustainability of such freshwater resources.An important restoration goal is to protect the river’s land from encroachment. Who owns the rivers and who is the tenure-holder? A tenure-holder has a land holding with a designated parcel of lands held under his tenure or lease.All rivers, streams, nullahs, lakes, ponds and water channels, with standing or flowing water, are the properties of the state govt. Land in the riverbed is entrusted to the gram panchayat or the local authority. No part of the river can ever be assigned to any person. Under the doctrine of public trust, the State has a bounden duty as the custodian and trustee of these natural resources to protect.However, conclusive and transparent land titles for rivers in India have not been taken up seriously in the revenue records. There are large scale encroachments on riverbanks and smaller streams by various actors, and it is very difficult to remove the encroachment once hard and concrete infrastructures come up on the riverine land.Since the floodplain of many rivers are not defined in the revenue records, they are progressively occupied and encroached upon by the development projects, residential colonies, industrial establishments, and transport infrastructure which are narrowing the river channel width and obstructing the natural drainage paths.A living river does not need to be engineered into existence. It needs space and conditions to recover its own ecological processes. Floodplains are not merely vacant lands awaiting development; they are crucial ecological zones that absorb floods, recharge aquifers, and support river biodiversity.When these areas are encroached upon, levelled, or converted for agriculture and construction, the natural processes that sustain rivers are disrupted.According to the UP Revenue Code, 2006, no person shall acquire the rights of the land which is covered by water.There are several court orders wherein riverbeds have been declared as ecologically sensitive areas to be protected and preserved to ensure complete, permanent and absolute ban on the construction activity within 100 metres from the bank on both sides.Constructions in floodplain areas may adversely affect the riverine ecology. Therefore, precautionary measures are required. NGT has also directed the State to ensure accurate demarcation of the river using scientific topographical survey method using past 100 years flood records.There are several critical steps in preparing the river entitlement records such as checking the Records of Rights (RoR), accessing the cadastral maps, integrating with the satellite or spatial data, and registration of land titles in the name of the river.Satellite or spatial land records can establish actual boundaries of the river on the ground. We have taken this up for several rivers in Uttar Pradesh, for example, Sai river in Hardoi, Unnao, and Pratapgarh districts, and Sarayan river in Lakhimpur Khiri and Sitapur districts.(The writer is a professor and head, department of environmental science, BBAU, Lucknow)You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Lucknow | Silver Rate in Lucknow | Bank Holidays in Lucknow | Public Holidays in Lucknow | Lucknow AQI | Weather in Lucknow | Petrol Price in Lucknow | Diesel Price in Lucknow | CNG Price in Lucknow | LPG Price in LucknowStay updated with the latest Lucknow news. Download the TOI App.